Guard device for vessels.



W. J. COLEMAN. GUARD DEVICE FOR VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6, 1917. V

Patented July 31, 1917.

WILLIHM J.COILEMHN FITTED %TATF% PATENT @FFTQE WILLIAM J. COLEMAN, OF HYDE PARK, MASSACHUSETTS.

GUARD DEVICE FOR VESSELS.

Application filed. June 8, 1917.

b aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. Com MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hyde Park, in the county of Sufiolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Guard Devices for Vessels, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improved guard device to protect vessels from torpedo attack by submarines, and has for its primary object to provide a device for this purpose which will present a barrier in the path of the torpedo and prevent the same from penetrating the hull of the vessel.

it is another and more particular object of my invention to provide a guard device for vessels embodying a plurality of units provided with means to receive intersecting iron rods, said rods having angular portions, and longitudinally extending rails to which the units are secured and held in assembled relation, the angular portions of said rods being tapered to a point and projecting outwardly from the side of the vessels hull and below the water line.

It is also another object of my invention to provide protecting or guard means for vessels as above characterized, which is relatively simple in its construction, strong and durable, and therefore capable of manutacture at small cost and which will also be very effective for the purpose in view.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure l is a perspective view showing my improved armor disposed upon one sideof a vessels hull;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing one of the guard units and one of the protecting members separated;

Fig. 4. is a similar view of one of the guard units which is arranged in the longitudinally extending channel-shaped rail; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of the guard.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 5 designates an upper rail and 6 an intermedi- Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 173,209.

ate rail. The latter rail is of channel-shaped form as clearly shown in Fig. 2, the channel therein facing toward the hull of the vessel.

This rail is centrally provided with a longitudinally extending series of spaced openings 7. Metal blocks 8 are arranged in the channel otthe rail 6 and suitably secured.

. gradually tapering to a point at their other ends.

Additional metal blocks or units 10 are also provided and are formed upon their opposite ends with the lips 11. These lips are adapted to be suitably secured to the longitudinal flanges 12 of the rail 6, a series of the blocks 10 being arranged above and below this rail. The lips 11 on oneend of the upper series of units 10 are secured to the rail 5. These latter blocks or units are provided in one face with intersecting grooves or channels 13, and the central unit in the series receives the cruciform member 14 consisting of intersecting rods having angular end portions 15 which are adapted to project at right angles to the block 10 and outwardly between the meeting edges of the adjacent blocks, said ends 15 01": the rods being also pointed or sharpened. The remaining units 10 in the series are each provided with only three of the outwardly extending rods 15 so that there will be provided in the completed structure, longitudinal series of spaced, outwardly projecting rods which are alternately arranged with respect to each other in different vertical planes. Between the outwardly extending guard rods, vertical openings 16 are formed through the blocks or units 8 and 10, and through the same the wire strands 17 eX- tend, the upper ends of said strands being fixed to the rail 5. Thus, there is provided a very effective guard for the hull of the vessel so that .there will be a minimum of exposed surface with which the torpedo could possibly contact.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the construction, manner of use, and several advantages of the device will be clearly and fully understood. The multiplicity of outwardly projecting rods or prongs serve to deflect the torpedo or cause its explosion before it can strike the hull of the vessel,

Patented July 31, 1917.

nesenao thus preventing injury to the latter. Any desired number of the series of blocks or units can be utilized and the guard device either attached by means of the top rail 5 directly to the hull of the vessel about on the water line, or the guard may be suspended by any suitable means in spaced relation to the side of the vessels hull. The vertical wire strands l7 afford an additional means of protection, and reduce to a minimum the possibility of the projectile piercing the armor and coming in contact with the vessel. The blocks or units employed in the guard construction may be of any desired thickness and various other shapes or forms of tlese units may also be employed if desired. it is, therefore, to be understood that while I have herein shown and described the preferred construction and arrangement of the several elements employed, the same are susceptible of considerable modification, and I, therefore, reserve the privilege of adopting all such legitimate changes as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A guard of the character described comprising a plurality of series of units arranged in superposed relation, guard elements projecting outwardly from the units and alternately arranged in staggered relation, and connecting means between the corresponding units.

2. A guard of the character described comprising a plurality of series of units arranged in superposed relation, guard elements projecting outwardly from the units and alternately arranged in staggered relation, and fiexible means connecting the corresponding units oi the guard to each other.

3. A guard of the character described comprising a channel-shaped rail centrally provided with a longitudinal series of spaced openings, units arranged in the channel of the rail, each unit having a guard element fixed therein and projecting outwardly through one of the openings in the rail, an additional longitudinally extending series of units secured to each edge of the rail, and a plurality of guard elements secured to each or" the latter units and projecting outwardly therefrom.

45. A guard of the character described comprising a channelshaped rail centrally provided with a longitudinal series of spaced openings, units arranged in the channel of the rail, each unit having a guard element fixed therein and projecting outwardly through one of the openings in the ail, an additional longitudinally extending series of units secured to each edge of the rail, a plurality of guard elements secured to each of the latter units and projecting outwardly therefrom, and flexible wires tying the corresponding units of the several series together.

5. A guard of the character described comprising a channelshaped rail centrally provided with a. longitudinal series of spaced openings, units arranged in the channel of the rail, each unit having a guard element fixed therein and projecting outwardly through one of the openings in the rail an additional longitudinally extending series oi units secured to each edge of the rail, a plu rality of guard elements secured to each of the latter units and projecting outwardly therefrom, each of said units having spaced openings formed therethrough, the openings in the units of one series coinciding with the openings in the corresponding units of the other series, and flexible wires extending through said openings and tying the series of units together.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

lVILLlAM J. COLEMAN. ll itnessesr SIMON J. COLEMAN, h Linr E. COLEMAN.

berries or" this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by aduressing the Commissioner of Eatcnts Washington, D. '5. 

